I am an Ontario resident and…

I am an Ontario resident and myself and my family have lived in Burlington our entire lives. When Doug Ford was filmed stating he was going to "cut the red tape" and "open the Greenbelt for Development", my family was extremely concerned and upset, as well as thousands of other Ontario residents. Myself and family members are part of a local Naturalists club and we know how critical these protected areas are. Doug Ford promised to protect the Greenbelt and it seemed he would keep that promise until the pandemic hit. Behind the citizens backs he quietly issued a record number of MZO's that allowed protected and critical land to be developed while everyone else was focused on the pandemic. Some of these MZO's were issued to Doug Fords developer friends. This is a known fact and a severe conflict of interest. When citizens found out about the MZO's and spoke up against the development of the Pickering Wetlands, Doug Ford shut out all public and Municipal opinion. When petitions were created, he snuck in a new Schedule in the Ontario Budget that cut funding for Conservation Authorities and took away their power to provide input before developing critical ecosystems, despite public outcry.

It unfortunately did not stop there. Every year we drive up North through Vaughan and Barrie to our cottage near Parry Sound. Every year we pass through Holland Marsh, a known protected area with fertile soil for farming, farming OUR FOOD. When myself and my family found out that Doug Ford not only pushed through the previously scrapped proposal for Hwy 413 (years ago it was deemed it would be detrimental to the land) but for a Hwy RIGHT THROUGH HOLLAND MARSH (Bradford Bypass) l, we started to cry. We are so upset and angry at our Government. Holland Marsh is such a rare and special piece of protected land and that special soil can feed hundreds of Ontarians. Investing in these farms and helping farmers will create more jobs and benefit Ontarians. Building a Hwy Through Holland Marsh will destroy and pollute that land and to build it right through the middle of it is a clear statement that the Government does not care. Hwy 413 also destroys acres of Greenbelt space. It is not just a Hwy, it opens the doors for more development; gas stations, houses, stores. It means more cars on the road and more air, water and land pollution.

Doug Ford is clearly not for the people. We the people voted him in to make Ontario a better place to live. Instead, he is not listening to the people, destroying our ecosystems and critically important land which will set us back in the fight against climate change (Canada is supposed to be a part of the Paris Climate Agreement and Ontario is one of the most populated Provinces) and is misusing his power to line his pockets and help his friends. He claims the MZO's he issues creates jobs, they don't. They just set back years of work into protecting the future of Ontario. Climate change is a serious issue. The weather is becoming unpredictable and destroying these wetlands and ecosystems will allow for more environmental disasters such as severe flooding.

Ontario is not becoming a place people want to live anymore. We voted someone to speak for the people, not a dictator. It is time for the Government to step up, listen and protect these crucial lands for future generations.

Doug Ford claims opening the Greenbelt for development will create more jobs yet he just ignored the "no travel" message from the Federal Government and went to Texas to make a deal with 7/11 to sell alcohol in stores in Ontario. That is an American company, how is that helping the Ontario citizens?